Moldova's elections were not free and the results showed a "hard-to-explain" increase of votes in favour of President Maia Sandu and the European Union as the count proceeded, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday.

Authorities in Moscow claimed Monday that the narrow margin in Moldova’s constitutional referendum on EU membership “raises questions,” while also rejecting Moldovan President Maia Sandu’s accusations of Russian interference in Sunday’s presidential election.

Moldovan President Maia Sandu denounced an "an assault on democracy and freedom," as she said criminal groups had bought Moldovan citizens' votes prior to the EU referendum on Sunday.View on euronews

Moldova's pro-Brussels President Maia Sandu on Monday said her camp "won justly in an unjust struggle" in an EU referendum and first-round presidential elections marked by claims of Russian interference.

Moldovans have voted by the thinnest of margins in favor of joining the European Union, near-complete results showed Monday, as President Maia Sandu condemned an “unprecedented assault” by foreign actors on the country’s democracy.